Garment hanger



i Jan. 6, 1948. J. G. BRYN GARMENT HANGER Filed Feb. 3, 1947 Jazzy@ 6:5732@ Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,434,142 .GAMENT sisass John G. Bryn, New York,..Y2 Application-February 3, 1947, Serial "'7'2(V i, '04 2 (CIL 223-4496) j 14 Claims. l

The presentinvention relates to hangers for pants and similar garments,` and more especially to pants hangers of thetype embodying clamping members which grip theV lower ends ofthe pants legs andA thereby suspendthem therefrom.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to-provide a novel and improved hangeiaoftlflis type which is capable of being manipulated to grip and release the pants or other garment :with greater facility rthan hangers of thisV type as heretofore used or prposed.

Amore particular object is to provide a pants hanger which is so constructed that the clamp; ing membersare automatically closed to grip the pants as the clamping members are swung toward vertical orz upright position and-are automatically released orpermitted toopen to release the pants as the Vclamping members are swung laterally from the upright position. l

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved pants ,hangerY which maybe easily and quickly adjusted to accommodate pants composed of -re1 atively thi ck material or having cuffs at their lower ends, or to accommodate pants composed of relatively thin material or Withouicuffs. o ,o .o o

To these anqotherends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinationsand arrangements ofparts, all as Vwillfbe hereinafter more fully described, thefeatures of novelty being pointed out more particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawing:

vFigure l is anelevation of a pants hanger constructed in accordance with the present inven tion,A it being shown-in fulllines in the pants gripping and suspending positionand in dotted lines in its released position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of thehanger, showingthesame adjusted for-and gripping and suspending a pair of pantswithout cuffs.

Figure 3 is a View similar YtoFigure 2 but show-f ing the hangeradjusted for and suspending a pair of pants with cuffs.

Figure 4 isa horizontal cross section through the clamping members, taken on'the'line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure- 5 is a horizontal cross section taken on the linevS-S in Figure 1. l

Figure 6 is a detail rperspective view of the bracket for supporting the hanger on a wall or other support.

Figure 7` is a detail perspective view of the.

tilted man upright .p9

center.

, The hanger. 'asshiwn th present .instante is designed forth hanging. of pants 'and Similar articles/0i Cloth agit comprising@ pair` 'of clamping V'rneniters Ymain-d ,il hiinggclamping v .vfat their leveren-sis betwenwhich th/1' are adapted to' be eiamnedoferfipbd, and har ing arms' Manuels whicnextenrl upwardly vfrom said bars andj are Divotaily c,ojnneeteCl.atA their upper ends'by a hinge I B. The clamping bars are composed of metaiof sufficient thicknesspor other'materialawnich renders thin1 rigi d; these bars however being movable ,towardv and vfrom one another about the hinge I6 as a Apivotal The hanger also: comprises a bracket fors'upporting it: on awall orothersuitablesupport, 'the bracketas sho-wn in the present instance l'eI/ nbodSi-g ing a .plate -20 wh'chtmay be provided. with a suitable ,.numbr. Vf vholes 1l. to'. receive Screws or the like-for securing it to thewall orsupporhand ,the lower .end of this plate` is preferblyp'ffset forwardlmas by brendmglii as.nicht'lated` ait 12.2; and this offset. portion'v supportsA a vrivet 52."iwhgic`zl'1 is fixed therein. Th .rivet 2Q provides a pivotal 'Support for4 th clamping' members .off th hanger whereby the .,v latter may swing fto and.l from an upright position, and in accordanceiwith the. ad justable feature of the invention, the rearclampQ- ingmemberi l If is provided witha slot through which this rivetextends and has ahead on A its forwardJ end .to bearyagainst they front `of .the ,clamping member I l suiciently4 closely to pre-y vent wobblin'g of theclamping -memberson,the rivet althoughpermittingypivotal movement of these members aboutthe rivet as an axis andalso permitting the Vo1arnping membersto be adjusted vertically to ,bring the rivet into different portions ofthe vslot 2 4. Inrthe present instance, twotadjustments are providedforthe clamping mem.;` Abers,A and the slot 241s accordingly prtwided` at .pvotally on the bracket.

The present invention provides means 4 p era tive in response to pivotal movemeiftof the clampins" members, about. theV rivet, t0, closeA and .release ory permitfopellg of the ,clamping members. ,Such.me ans,. asshownin the presentinstance, comprises acarn 3 0 with which theA front clamping memberis engageableasthe clamp,- ina members ere-SWU@ ab'eut the riveti frm:

. o h ndfwn' thigh the front clamping member ,disengages4 whenfthe clamping .members Y are swung from. an upright to a tilted position, thereby automatically gripping and releasing respectively the lower ends of the legs of pants interposed between the clamping bars` I2 and I3. The cam" 30 is preferably formed by bending the upper end of the plate 20 of the bracket forwardly then downwardly and iinally rearwardly and providing the rearwardly turned portion with an edge of a suitable shape and in a position to engage the upper portion of the front clamping member adjacent to the hinge I6 and thereby force the front clamping member toward the rear clamping member when the clamping members are swung into uprightV position, the front clamping member disengaging from the cam when the clamping members are swung about the rivet into a tilted position and thereby releasing the clamping members. It 1s to be understood that the bracket plate 2i! on which the cam is formed is composed of metal or other material of sufficient rigidity to maintain the edge of the cam 30 at a substantially fixed distance in front of the plate, and in order to increase the rigidity of the cam mountingvthe rearwardly turnedrportion of the plate may be provided with a tongue 3| to extend rearwardly through a slot 32 in the adjacent edge of the plate, the rear end of this tongue being bent downwardly against the back of the plate, as shown in Figure 6. Also, in order to limit the swing of the clamping members into upright clamping position, this tongue may be positioned to bev engaged by the upper ends of the clamping members. The rear clamping member II is also preferably provided with a lug 35 which prejects rearwardly therefrom and is engageable with a lug 36 which is bent to extend forwardly from the bracket plate 20 and thereby limit the swing of the clamping members from the upright clamping position to the tilted released position. Preferably, the weight of the clamping members is so distributed that they will rest by gravity in tilted position with the lug 35 on the clamping member I I in engagement with the limiting stop 36 on the bracket plate.

In order to enable the cam 30 to operate to effect clamping of the clamping members while they are in the upper position for the clamping of the legs of pants composed of relatively thin material or are without cuffs or in the lower position for the clamping of pants composed of relatively thick material or which are provided with cuffs, the front clamping member IU is provided with vertically spaced stepped portions 37 and 38 which are at diierent distances from the adjacent portion of the rear clamping member II, the latter having a rearwardly bent portion 39 which is adapted to bear against the bracket plate 2D. While the clamping members occupy their upper position with the rivet 23 engaging in the` end portion 26 of the slot 24, the step 33 on the clamping member I will be engageable ,with the cam 3U, as shown in Figure 2, and while the clamping members occupy their lower position, the step 31 on the front clamping member I0 will be engageable with said cam, as shown in Figure 3. Since the step 38 on the front clamping member is at a greater distance from the rear clamping member and from the bracket plate, the cam 3D when engaged by the front clamping member will force the clamping members more closely together than when said cam is engaged by the step 3l, thus accommodating the clamping members to a less thickness of material of the pants interposed between them.

Assuming the hanger is fastened to a wall or other vertical support in upright position, as shown, it may be used for hanging pants or simllar garments therefrom as follows: if pants composed of relatively thin material or without cuffs are to be hung from the hanger, the clamping members are placed in their upper position with the rivet 23 engaging in the upturned lower end `of the slot 24 and the clamping members permitted to assume the laterally tilted position with rthelug 35 resting against the limiting stop 36.

Thelowerends of the pants, legs may then be inserted between the clamping bars I2 and I3 of theclamping members, and while the pants legs are held in place between the clamping bars, as by temporarily pressing them together by the fingers, the clamping members are swung manually about the rivet 23 as a center into upright position. As the clamping members approach upright position, the step 38 on the front clamping member IIJ engages the cam 30, and continued movement of the clamping members into upright position results in the cam forcing the clamping members together, thereby gripping the ends of the pants legs between the clamping bars. If the pants to be hung are composed of relatively thick material or are provided with cuffs, the clamping members are placed in their lower position with the rivet 23 occupying the upper end 25 of the slot 24, and the pants legs placed between the clamping bars of the clamping members whiler the latter occupy their tilted position, and as the clamping members are swung into upright position with the pants held between the clamping bars, the step 3'I on the front clamping member, which is closer to the rear clamping member than is the step 38, will engage the cam 30, which will cause the clamping members to be forced together into gripping relation with the pants with less force or to a lesser extent than when the cam engages the step 38, thus accommodating the clamping members to the greaterA thickness of the material of the pants interposed between the clamping bars.

In order to release the pants, it is only necessaryl to tilt the clamping members laterally sufficiently to disengage the step 31 or 38, as the case may be, from the cam 30, thereby releasing the gripping pressure on the clamping members and freeing thev pants therefrom, and the clamping members will then swing by gravity laterally until the lug 35 on'the rear clamping member rests against the limit stop 36, the clamping members being then in released condition and ready to receive another pair of pants.

While the cam 3D acts to force the clamping members into gripping relation with the pants or garment, the friction between the cam and the clamping member which it engages will maintain the clamping members in upright position and therefore in gripping relation with the pants or garment. Release of the pants or garment for removal from the hanger may be accomplished by simply swinging the gripping members laterally about the horizontal pivot of said members, which movement disengages the clamping members from the cam and thereby relieves them of the clamping pressure.

By forming the clamping members with arms which extend upwardly from the rivet or pivotal center, the weight of these members is so distributed that they will rest by gravity in the position to which they are tilted to release the pants or garment, and while no pants or garment is suspended from the hanger, the clamping members will be supported in such tilted position by the lug 35 which then rests against the limit stop 36. As the clamping members while in such tilted position will be released, the hanger will be ready to receive another pair of pants after one pair thereof have been removed therefrom.

The adjustment provided for the hanger enables it to readily accommodate pants or other garments which present different thicknesses of material thereto, thus increasing the range of usefulness of the hanger beyond that of other garment hangers of the clamping type as usually constructed heretofore. For example, pants composed of thin material without cuffs on the legs, such as so-called slacks will usually slip out of the clamping bars of hangers constructed to receive pants composed of heavier material and/ or provided with cuffs, but the improved hanger provided-by the present invention may be readily adjusted to accommodate such garments. Also, the improved hanger may be readily adjusted to accommodate pants composed of heavier material and/or provided with cuffs, thus avoiding difficulty in clamping them in the hanger.

I claim as my invention:

1. A garment hanger comprising clamping members having portions relatively movable toward and from one another to clamp and release a garment, means for pivotally supporting said members for movement into tilted and upright positions, and means operative in response to movement of said members from tilted to upright position for relatively moving said members into garment clamping relation.

2. A garment hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a cam engageable by one of said clamping members during said movement of said members from tilted toward upright position.

3. A garment hanger as dened in claim 1, including means for limiting the extent of said tilting movement of said members.

4. A garment hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight of said clamping members is so distributed that they tend to remain in said tilted position while no garment is suspended therefrom, and including stop means against which said members rest while in said tilted position.

5. A garment hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein said clamping members are held in clamping relation by friction between said lastmentioned means and one of said clamping members.

6. A garment hanger comprising a pair of clamping roembers each having a garment clamping bar, an arm extending upwardly therefrom, and a pivotal connection between the upper ends of said arms, a pivot supporting said members for movement about a horizontal axis located toward the lower ends of said members, and means cooperative with said arms above said pivot and below their pivotal connection for applying a clamping force to said members while the latter are moved about said axis from tilted toward upright position.

7. A garment hanger comprising a pair of clamping members having garment engaging portions toward their lower ends and connected at their upper ends for relative clamping and releasing movements, a supporting bracket, a pivot supported by the bracket and supporting the clamping members thereon for pivotal movement to and from upright position, and means on said bracket cooperative with the clamping members to effect relative clamping movement thereof by movement of said members toward upright position.

8. A garment hanger as defined in claim 7, wherein the weight of said clamping members is so distributed as to cause said members to tilt from said upright position when a garment is removed therefrom, and including stop means between said members and bracket for supporting said members in tilted position 9. A garment hanger as defined in claim 7, wherein said clamping members are held in clamping relation by friction between one of said members and said last-mentioned means.

l0. A garment hanger comprising a pair of rigid clamping members having garment engaging portions toward their lower ends and pivotally connected at their upper ends for relative clamping and releasing movements, an upright supporting bracket having a forwardly offset portion formed with a cam opposite to the body of the bracket, a pivot supported by the bracket below said cam and supporting the clamping members for pivotal movements about a horizontal axis into upright position and into engagement with said cam to apply clamping force to said members, and into tilted position to disengage said members from said cam and thereby release such clamping force, and stops projecting respectively rearwardly from one of said clamping members and forwardly from said bracket and engageable when the clamping members assume said tilted position.

11. A garment hanger comprising a supporting bracket, relatively movable garment clamping members, a device on the bracket for operating said members to clamp a garment, and means for supporting said members in different positions on the bracket to bring different portions of said members into cooperation with said operating device and thereby vary the range of clamping movement of said members.

12. A garment hanger as defined in claim 11, wherein said operating device comprises a cam, and one of said clamping members is provided with stepped portions one or another of which is cooperable with said cam when said members are supported in different positions on said bracket.

13. A garment hanger as defined in claim 12, wherein said clamping members are rigid and pivotally connected for relative clamping movements, and said stepped portions are disposed on one of said members adjacent to said pivotal connection of said members.

14. A garment hanger as dened in claim 11, wherein said means for supporting said members in different positions on said bracket comprises a pivot supported on one of said parts and a slot in the other of said parts along which said pivot is movable and having portions at its ends to receive said pivot and thereby support said clamping members in said different positions.

JOHN G. BRYN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,222,234 Murphy Nov. 19, 1940 2,379,634 Hall July 3, 1945 2,423,369 Brunner July 1, 1947 

